Yerkad is a beautiful hill station in Salem district of Tamil Nadu. Yer means lake in Tamil. As the name suggests, there is a fresh water lake on top of the mountain waiting for the tourists. Yerkad, which is generally a less busy and less expensive tourist destination, is nicknamed the poor man’s Ooty.
There are three view points that beckon tourists to Yerkat. Yerkad Hill View, Pagoda Point, Ladies Seat. The three rocks named after their unique shapes like Lady’s Seat, Jen’s Seat and Children’s Seat attract tourists. 360 degree views can be seen from these viewpoints which are located on the hills on three sides.
The biodiversity of this hill station is evident at every turn. The Purvaghata hills are surrounded by greenery. Hillview is located at the top of the Severayan Hills. It may be believed that this is the hill where Severayan or Perumal resides. The Severayan Temple is located on the top of the hill.
Just 30 km from Salem, you have to cross 20 hairpin bends to reach Yerkad. This is a hill station where there is not much crowd of tourists in the early Ghats. Yerkad is also 230 km away from Bengaluru or a four and a half hour drive. The snow covered mountain ranges, the cold wind blowing slowly and the atmosphere of the forest will fill the mind of the travelers to Yerkad….
Along with the forest there are plantations of sandalwood and teak trees and orange groves in Yerkad. Pepper, cardamom, coffee, guava and jackfruit are grown at a height of 4,970 feet above sea level. Anna Park, Botanical Garden and Rose Garden are also sights here.
The view on reaching Hillview belied the expression of no shadow of a crow’s feet. Hillview is on the slope of a large field. The sun is blazing, giving the impression of getting sunburned once you step onto the field. But, surprisingly, it wasn’t too hot walking into Hillview. Occasional wind .
Once you reach Hillview, there are views all around. Dharmapuri and Salem hills can be seen in the distance. Annamalai temple can also be seen if you look carefully. Even in the midday sun, tourists were arriving at Hillview. It is surrounded by mountains full of granite quarries. Here and there the quarries leave white spots in the dark green.
Blessed with forests and mountains, Yerkad is a destination for mountaineers and adventure-loving travelers. Killiyur Falls is an hour’s walk from Anna Park through the forest. This waterfall is more active during the rainy season. Tipperary Point is another favorite destination for climbers. This is the southern end of Yerkad.
Yerkad Lake is one of the most important natural man-made lakes in South India. It is also known as Emerald Lake. Boating and boating are also possible here. This is a lake named after Yerkad. This boat trip is one of the ways to spend time enjoying the natural beauty of Yerkad.
Deer park is probably the most favorite place for kids in Yerkad. There is also a deer park near the Yerkad lake. Apart from deer, there are flamingos and peacocks here. Another sight in Yerkad is a white colored rock. It is called White Elephant Tooth Rocks.
Pagoda Point
Pagoda Point has to be reached from Hillview via Karadi Cave Estate. This viewpoint is on one side of the Purvaghata mountain ranges. Pagoda Point offers a beautiful view of the city of Salem beyond deep gorges and steep rock formations.
Sadawok, Family of the Silver Oak’. As the small green silver tree grows, it turns black and becomes a giant tree.
Driving along the 32 km long road that starts from Yerkad Lake and ends there will also give you a different experience. There are dense forests and coffee plantations on both sides of the road. There are dense forests and coffee plantations on both sides of the road. Tourists also visit Kotachedu Teak Forest, a man-made teak forest. This place was once a village where the locals lived. After the outbreak of plague, the village was vacated by the locals and was later converted into a teak plantation by the government.
Although you can go throughout the year, it is better to avoid the monsoon season.. Monsoon is a different experience, but not all travelers can enjoy the cloudy weather, rain and cold weather. October to June is the month with clear weather and a pleasant temperature of 14 degrees to 25 degrees.
